Comfort food: homemade chicken pot pie

Since its humble beginnings as a means for thrifty cooks to stretch leftover meat and vegetables, the pot pie has become classic winter comfort food—rib sticking, soul warming and unpretentious.

Here, we present a hearty Chicken Pot Pie for a meal that feels not just homemade, but handmade. Made with chicken, diced potatoes, carrots and peas ladled into a prepared piecrust, this easy chicken pot pie recipe is sure to transport everyone right back to Grandma's kitchen table. We've also included 4 tasty twists with a variety of delicious pot pie fillings and toppings sure to please the whole family.

Tip: Each of these pot pie recipes calls for a 1½- to 2-quart casserole dish and makes 1 pie that feeds about 4 to 6 people. Feel free to make the fillings up 2 days ahead and refrigerate before topping with the crust and baking, but allow the filling to reach room temperature before you bake.